SYLMAR, Calif., 18 July 2006. Quintessence Photonics Corporation, a subsidiary of QPC Lasers Inc., has won a contract to develop and deliver high-precision direct diode optical sensing lasers based on its recently released high-power semiconductor lasers with Internal Gratings.

Optical sensing is important in the defense, homeland security, and industrial markets where the measurement of distance, temperature, and/or pressure is required for a broad range of applications such as range finding on the battlefield, opto-acoustic sensors in submarine towed arrays. The potential benefits of this technology in defense systems include increased precision, increased range, and real-time threat identification.

To be suitable for high-precision metrology, lasers must emit light with an extremely narrow and accurate wavelength spectrum. For high-power applications, this is typically achieved using multi-stage gas, solid state, or fiber lasers.